3 Positional battles Spurs fans should monitor heading into training camp

The San Antonio Spurs have plenty of talented players and limited minutes after a flurry of changes throughout their roster this summer. With the addition of names like Victor Wembanyama, Cameron Payne, Reggie Bullock, and Cedi Osman, they must determine who earns a rotation spot and who remains on the bench.

Every team in the NBA can start training camp on October 3rd, and this is where the Spurs can decide who will make the final cut and who will be the odd man out. While San Antonio has plenty of question marks heading into the upcoming season, several positional battles are waiting to unfold that could help them trim down their crowded depth chart.

Starting Forward

After drating Victor Wembanyama with the first overall pick and establishing him as their starting power forward, the Spurs must make a tough choice between Keldon Johnson and Jeremy Sochan. Both players were starters last season, and each comes with a unique set of pros and cons, but one must move to the bench. While Johnson is a physical driver who can space the floor, his defense is lacking. Sochan is a high-level defender with different skills on the other end, but his lack of shooting could limit the offense.

The positional battle, however, might come down to who the coaching staff sees as a better fit next to their 7-foot-3 Frenchman for his rookie season. Do the Spurs want shooting around Wembanyama at the cost of defense, or are they fine with limited spacing if it means holding opponents in check? It's a question training camp and preseason games will answer. But the starting spot next to Wembanyama is one to watch.

Backup Center

After the Spurs traded Jakob Poeltl at the deadline last season, Zach Collins solidified his status as a starter with Head Coach Gregg Popovich. However, the backup spot behind him is the biggest unknown. San Antonio found a diamond in the rough when they claimed Charles Bassey off the waiver wire. He locked up a long-term contract as their go-to big off the bench, but a broken kneecap ended his season prematurely.

Despite their misfortune with injuries around their roster last season, the Spurs showed their knack for finding discarded talent, striking gold a second time as they picked up Sandro Mamukelashvili at the beginning of March. Stepping in for Bassey, Mamukelashvili made a breakthrough as the second-string center, bringing a more offensive-minded skillset highlighted by three-point shooting and smooth playmaking.

The Silver and Black re-signed Mamukelashvili to a one-year deal this summer and still have Bassey on the books for three more seasons. With both bigs on the roster, San Antonio must decide who deserves minutes. They each have unique skills that could complement Wembanyama. Bassey is a rim-runner who crashes the boards, while Mamukelashvili is a more perimeter-oriented center.

Having the muscular Bassey next to the slender-framed Wembanyama sounds ideal, but having a floor spacer and connective passer to capitalize on his gravity could also yield positive results. The Spurs have a tough choice here, and training camp performances could be the deciding factor for who secures backup duties.

Backup Forward

The forward position is exceptionally crowded in San Antonio, and that's not exactly a bad thing. But an abundance of talent means someone will get the short end of the stick when it comes time to sort out the depth chart. Though Sochan and Johnson will be critical contributors, players like Reggie Bullock, Julian Champagnie, Doug McDermott, and Cedi Osman must battle it out for a spot in the rotation.

Three of those four names are proven veterans who deserve a place in the league. Bullock and McDermott have a combined 20 seasons of experience and have been pivotal role players over their careers. McDermott brings sharpshooting and intelligent off-ball movement, while Bullock is a fundamental 3-and-D forward. Julian Champagnie had a coming-out party after the Spurs claimed him off waivers last season, showing off his scoring prowess and becoming a star for San Antonio during Summer League.

Osman might be the odd man out in San Antonio after they acquired him in a three-team trade this offseason, especially since he doesn't have the same amount of experience as Bullock and McDermott. Champagnie might not have many games under his belt, but his size and defensive versatility give him a higher ceiling than Cedi.

A talented player will find himself warming the bench more often than on the court. Nonetheless, this situation works in San Antonio's favor. The Spurs will have an opportunity to move some of these veterans at the trade deadline to bolster their war chest of valuable draft capital. These rotation spots are there for the taking, but training camp will soon decide who plays and who sits.